Octavia headlights: Xenon or not ?

[gregozedobe]

I'm trying to decide what options to specify for my new RS Wagon that I'm going to order soon.

Has anyone got an Octavia with the Xenon headlights ? What are they like on high beam on country roads ?

In the official brochure they list them as Bi-xenon (ie xenon for both High AND low beam), but according to the Briskoda forum they are xenon on low beam only, and to make matters worse, the high beam (halogen) is sometimes adjusted way too high. :confused:

I'm not sure I'm ready to pay $1,781 (incl stamp duty) for low beam only xenons, when it is mainly the high beam that I want to be highly illuminating (for country driving).

I have heard that the standard halogen Octavia headlights are pretty good, how do you owners find them ?

[Tim]

you sure theyre not like the mk5 ones where they are actually bi-xenon its just there the high beam is activated by unmasking a portion of the main projectors beam?

[gregozedobe]

you sure theyre not like the mk5 ones where they are actually bi-xenon its just there the high beam is activated by unmasking a portion of the main projectors beam?

It would appear not, see the following thread -

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/octavia-ii/xenon-poor-main-beam/94242/

[Start extract] Originally Posted by slider

Can I just plead a little ignorance on this matter......do xenons only operate on "dip" and not "main beam"?

If so, what is the point, I would have thought you wanted lots of good strong light when on main beam!

[Reply] Dip beam only; unless you have, say, a Golf or Leon with Bi-xenons.

As I rarely use main beam, overhead lighting and too much traffic on my daily driving, I find the quality of the xenons is irreplaceable. In a perfect world I'd like xenon main beam as well.
[end extract]


In the official Skoda Australia brochure they are on the Options list as "Bi-xenon headlights".

Hopefully some aussie Octavia owner with the xenon headlights fitted can tell us what their headlights actually do (and how well they perform).

And just to confuse things further, the standard halogen headlights on Octavias have a projector style lens for low beam, so they all look like they have xenon headlights :???:

[CanberravRS]

Hi Greg... Lennock told me that the Bi-xenon doesnt exist.. its a Xenon only.

They only recieved the data from Skoda after the first few where delivered with the expected bi-xenon only being xenon.

So all the original brochures are wrong.. i believe the web site has been updated to show this too..

Was good to catch up with you today and hope you liked the look of the Blue. Look forward to seeing a few more RS's on the road in Canberra

[CanberravRS]

Oh PS... the high beam is the best high beam i have seen on a production car and matches the beam i had on my Jeep which had Spotlights!!! lol

The range of the highbeam is awesome.. happy to show you one evening if you need confirmation

[gregozedobe]

Oh PS... the high beam is the best high beam i have seen on a production car

And saves $1,781 over the Xenons too - Bargain :idea:

[DanSA]

Just for info...

I had Xenons on my RSC, and well one of the controller died as i was buying it. The seller agrred to fix it - to th etune of 900 bucks..

The globes are 230 ea, and if a controller dies, you are loooking at approx 600 easy.

Now this shouldnt fail on a new car, and your will be under warranty - but...

Lets say ill be just uprating the standard globes with beeter conventional bulbs. :cool:
Xenons can also 'flicker' sometimes like a fluro plus the contant flashinf from other road users..

My 2c.
Dan.

[Mischa]

save the 1700 and spend it on a chip :D

[CanberravRS]

save the 1700 and spend it on a chip :D

SOUNDS LIKE A DAMM GOOD PLAN!!!

[gregozedobe]

Well, I drove an RS with halogen headlights on some rural roads tonight. I thought the headlights were good, but not great. So I'll be ordering an RS wagon with Xenons (HIDs), and later adding an aftermarket HID kit to high beam to get HIDs for both low and high beam.

SWMBO decided she liked the "Barney Banana" yellow, and it seems like everyone and their dog is getting a blue RS lately (it is by far the most popular RS colour) so I won't mind being able to find my wagon in a carpark :)

I probably wouldn't chip the engine until the warranty expired (in 3 years time) anyway. In the meantime they don't go too badly for a wagon with all that room .